Shopping trumps Thanksgiving? Or can Thanksgiving trump shopping?

A quiet morning after Thanksgiving perusing the headlines that shout out to us that shopping has trumped the traditional Thanksgiving meal (cnn.com) has produced a contemplative spirit. A little outrage too. Why? Why would anyone want to give up a delicious meal and relaxing moments with great conversation with friends and family to go out in the cold in order to face off with thousands of people looking for the same bargain?

The outrage comes first. The whole media/shopping blitz is eroding our country’s family values and traditional ways of living and taking away from time spent relaxing and renewing one’s spirit. It’s frustrating to see people falling for the media campaigns and enticing ads to constantly shop and spend more money. To keep a person focused on shopping and attaining more in the way of personal goods is to keep that person focused on the apparent trappings of this natural world and to keep him at the same time far away from reflection on his spiritual and emotional state. His/her mind is constantly engaged in this natural world and what he/she “needs” to continue to improve his natural surroundings.

After the outrage, more reflection creeps in. You see, I did not spend my Thanksgiving waiting outside the doors of the local big box store, nor did I head out this morning to get the best deals at the mall. The question returned: why would someone give up a nice, relaxing afternoon and great conversation with friends and family for …..? The answer instantly appeared. They did not give up a nice, relaxing afternoon with friends and family. Many families barely tolerate each other. Put them all in one room and the tension can be cut with the same knife used to carve the turkey. So and so is not talking to so and so and those who are talking to so and so are just feeling sullen today because … who know the because? Just because.

It’s easy to see in that light why so many would prefer to be out shopping. I have not ever had to spend a holiday in such an angry environment, thank God. I have, however, heard of such things. It’s really a sad commentary on our society that shopping would trump a nice, relaxing afternoon spent in thoughtful conversation and childlike laughter with one’s beloved family and friends. A lovely and loving afternoon can refresh our spirit and prepare us for the days ahead. It can give us insight into our world that will help us for weeks and months to come.

The media and advertising campaigns are therefore not the issue. The underlying issue is the problems in our homes and in our personal lives. Those problems keep us from making and maintaining strong social and familial relationships. So, instead of blasting the shoppers and the mega media moguls, we should put our strength into helping families to renew their relationships. We cannot influence all of those with broken families, but we can influence those around us who may be struggling. It would be so refreshing to see the shops HAVE to close up on holidays for lack of shoppers. They will only need to do that when there is something much better going on in American homes. We can make it happen.